When Weather Wins: Why We Tore Out a Perfect Pour (And What It Taught Us)
- markschuh2
- Sep 26
- 5 min read
Published by Gold's Concrete Services | Serving the Kansas City Northland Since 1989
At 7:30 AM, I was standing at the job site feeling pretty good about myself. I'd been watching the weather for a few days, tracking a storm system I'd been worried about. We'd dodged the bullet: the rain had missed us completely. The concrete truck was already loaded and on its way for our 8:00 AM pour.
The Perfect Storm (Literally)
This was supposed to be the easy part: the final pour of the job. Just the approach where the driveway meets the street. We'd already completed the main driveway beautifully, and this last section would wrap up another satisfied customer in the Kansas City Northland.
Then I looked up at the sky.
Dark clouds were rolling in from nowhere. This wasn't on any forecast I'd seen. The concrete truck was already here, loaded and ready. In our business, you can't just send the truck away; concrete waits for no one, and opportunities don't come back easily in this competitive market.
Weather in Missouri is brutal in the summer. The humidity means pop-up showers can appear at any moment, like some cosmic practical joke on concrete contractors. We constantly watch forecasts, and honestly, sometimes I think I can predict the weather better than the meteorologists. Every pour is like a gamble, but we can't miss out on opportunities to get jobs done.
So we made the call to pour.
When "Just a Pop-Up Shower" Becomes a Disaster
We had our plastic sheeting ready as this wasn't our first rodeo. The plan was simple: if it started to rain, we'd cover the concrete, wait for the brief shower to pass, then uncover and continue finishing. We've done this dance hundreds of times over the decades.
But this wasn't one of those times.
The moment we started the finishing process, the sky opened up. We quickly covered the concrete with plastic, expecting to wait 15-20 minutes for the pop-up shower to move through. Instead, it just kept raining. And raining. And raining.
In concrete work, timing is everything. Once you start the finishing process, you have a narrow window to complete it properly. The concrete doesn't care about your schedule, it's going to cure whether you're ready or not. Because we could never remove that plastic and finish the surface properly, the concrete just got hard underneath the covering.
Game over.
The $5,000 Decision
Standing there in the rain, looking at concrete that would never meet Gold's standards, I had a choice to make.
The concrete was structurally sound. It would hold cars, it wouldn't crack, it would technically "work." Most contractors would have called it good enough. The customer might never have known the difference, at least not right away. I could have walked away with our profit intact and moved on to the next job.
But that's not who we are.
After 35 years of building our reputation in the Kansas City Northland, I wasn't about to settle for "good enough" just because Mother Nature threw us a curveball. This approach would be the first thing people saw when they looked at this customer's property. It would have my company's name attached to it. More importantly, it wouldn't represent the quality this homeowner deserved.
The tear out and replacement cost us nearly $5,000. But some things are worth more than money.
The Customer's Reaction Taught Me Everything
When I explained to the homeowner what had happened and what we needed to do, their reaction surprised me. Instead of being frustrated about the delay, they felt bad for us. They understood we'd taken a financial hit through no fault of our own.
But what they said next is what really stuck with me: they were incredibly appreciative that I
wouldn't allow my company to settle for anything less than a great-looking driveway. They realized that this decision, to tear out perfectly functional concrete because it didn't meet our visual standards, showed them exactly what kind of contractor they'd hired.
That conversation reminded me why Gold's Concrete has thrived for over three decades. It's not just about pouring concrete; it's about standing behind a standard of excellence, even when it costs us.
What This Means for Homeowners Choosing Contractors
This experience highlights something crucial that every homeowner should understand when hiring a concrete contractor: not all contractors are created equal.
When things go wrong (and in construction, they frequently do), you discover who you're really dealing with. Ask yourself:
● Would your contractor eat a $5,000 loss to make sure you get the quality you deserve?
● Do they have the experience to know when something isn't right, even if it looks okay to you?
● Have they been in business long enough to have weathered challenges like this before?
● Do they have the financial stability to make things right when problems arise?
The sad truth is that many contractors would have left that concrete in place. They might have made excuses about weather, blamed circumstances beyond their control, or simply hoped the customer wouldn't notice the subpar finish quality.
Lessons Learned: When Experience Meets Humility
After 35 years in this business, this experience taught me a few valuable lessons:
Weather is still the boss. No matter how much experience you have, Mother Nature can humble you in an instant. We've since adjusted our protocols for questionable weather days, being even more conservative about timing.
Your reputation is built in moments like these. Anyone can pour concrete when conditions are perfect. Your true character shows when things go sideways.
The right customers appreciate doing things right. This homeowner understood that our willingness to take a loss demonstrated our commitment to quality. Those are the customers we want to work with.
Sometimes the most expensive decision is the cheapest in the long run. That $5,000 tearout reinforced our reputation and led to referrals worth many times that amount.
The Reality of Concrete Work
Doing concrete isn't an easy job. The material is unforgiving; once the chemical process starts, you're committed. Rain can ruin a pour. Extreme heat can make concrete set up faster than you can finish it, requiring a complete do-over. Cold weather brings its own challenges.
Every day, we're battling the elements, working within narrow windows of opportunity, and making split-second decisions that can make or break a project. It's part science, part art, and part meteorology. After 35 years, I've learned to respect the process and never take anything for granted.
Maybe I really should become a weatherman? At least then when I'm wrong about the forecast, nobody has to tear out five yards of concrete.
When the unexpected happens on your project, you want a contractor who will make it right, not make excuses. You want someone with the experience to recognize problems before they become bigger issues, and the integrity to address them even when it's costly.
At Gold's Concrete Services, we've been proving our commitment to quality in the Kansas City Northland for over 35 years. We've weathered every kind of storm, literal and figurative, and always emerged stronger. When you hire us, you're not just getting concrete contractors; you're getting partners who will stand behind their work no matter what Mother Nature throws our way.
That's the Gold's guarantee, backed by more than three decades of doing whatever it takes to get it right.
Ready to experience the Gold's difference?
● Office: 816-741-3733
● Email: goldsconcrete@gmail.com
● Website: www.goldsconcretekc.com
Licensed & Insured | Family & Veteran Owned | Serving the Kansas City Northland Since 1989
Have a concrete project coming up? Don't gamble with contractors who cut corners when things get tough. Contact Gold's Concrete Services for a free estimate and experience the peace of mind that comes with hiring contractors who put quality above profit.